


Find My Footprints In The Sand

by mycitruspocket



Series: Safekeeping [3]
Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Community: inceptiversary, Confessions, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-13
Updated: 2016-07-13
Packaged: 2018-07-23 20:01:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7477977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mycitruspocket/pseuds/mycitruspocket
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of three drabbles written for Inception Bingo. Because one Bingo line was just not enough...<br/>Bingo prompt: Confessions</p>
            </blockquote>





	Find My Footprints In The Sand

“I’ve never been in a relationship before, I’ve no bloody idea what I’m doing,” Eames confesses, his toes play nervously in the sand where he sits with his legs spread either side of the sun lounger.  
  
“I hoped it would be something like that, and not me,” Arthur says, pretty sure the relief he feels is audible.

He lies back on his towel, crosses his bare legs at his ankles and blinks into the sun. Arthur loves Cannes this time of year, wonders if Eames chose it deliberately because Arthur knows that he hasn’t got a job lined up here.  
  
“Darling, of course it’s not you. How can it be you when I happen to be completely crazy about you? It’s just me being an idiot, that’s all.”  
  
“You could have told me instead of just leaving every fucking time. I understand that you need your space, so I always let you go. But I need you to know that it wasn’t easy for me, it’s why I never let you come too close, no matter how much I wanted you to.”  
  
Arthur sits up and downs his glass of champagne so fast it makes his head spin. He waves at the waiter for another and then lies back down, watching as Eames draws a complicated pattern into the sand with his toe.  
  
“I’ve been running away all my life, I’m not used to staying,” Eames says as he looks out over the ocean. “Call it fear of commitment, wanderlust, restlessness. It’s probably a bit of all the above, so you better stop chasing me before I fuck it up completely.” The bitter undertone in Eames’ voice makes Arthur’s heart clench uncomfortably.  
  
“Eames, I asked you to stay last time, and you still left without a word. How could you possibly fuck it up even more?”  
  
“Not my best move, I admit,” Eames says, and he sounds sad, like he regrets it. Like he’s regretted it every single time, but just couldn’t help it. He watches Eames drink the last drops of his creamy cocktail through the straw, making loud slurping sounds that should be annoying, only that Arthur doesn’t care and focusses on the way his full lips are pursed tightly around the straw. “Why did you come after me, then?”  
  
“You think I give up this easily? I’ll always find you, Eames.” The waiter comes with Arthur’s second drink and he sips at it, enjoys how it sparkles on his tongue. “I’d find you even if you didn’t want me to, we both know that, but I promise I’ll always give you all the space you need. Just stop pushing me away, if your leopard print speedos didn’t scare me off, nothing else will. So please stop trying.”  
  
“You mean it,” Eames says slowly, like he can’t believe it, like he doubted this would be a possible outcome from this conversation. And then Eames gets up so fast the sun lounger topples over behind him as he hastily kneels down in the sand right next to Arthur. “You really mean it?”

Eames’ face blocks the sun and all Arthur can see is his big, toothy grin.  
  
“Of course I fucking mean it. Now come here and kiss me, then let me enjoy the sun for at least an hour before you take me to your room so I can take these appalling things off of you and throw them out the window.”  
  
Arthur hooks two fingers into the elastic waistband of Eames’ awful speedos and draws him close.  
  
“Oh darling!” Eames’ laughter is loud and clear and happy, Arthur has never heard anything so beautiful in his life.  
  
The smile Eames gives him as he leans down is bright, his kiss is slow and sweet. Arthur melts into it, sighs into Eames’ mouth and enjoys their closeness without fear for the first time. He deepens the kiss, leans up and wraps his arms around Eames’ neck.  
  
When they break apart Arthur holds Eames close, both hands cupping his jaw and thumbs stroking over his cheeks.  
  
“Tomorrow morning, the only thing I want to find when I wake up is you, and I want to keep you just like I kept everything else you left for me. Promise me that I can keep you forever, too,” Arthur whispers.  
  
Eames' breath stutters, but he holds his gaze and doesn’t look uncertain or panicked anymore, not a trace of doubt. “Promise,” he says, and kisses Arthur again.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Bingo!


End file.
